Classical piano Grades 1-2 Is it possible to make progress in 10 minutes? Of course. At some point longer practice sessions will be required, but with planning and focus you can accomplish a lot in a shorter time. Remember playing an instrument is fun when we succeed at it. And can clearly see our progress over time. What practice is: Learning through thoughtful repetition how to play our instrument so that over time we progress towards our goal however modest or lofty that may be. The goal is to accomplish a micro step forward each time we sit to practice. The size of this micro step varies on the time available. What practice is not: Messing around playing stuff we know is not practicing, it is playing. This is not a negative, but the reason we practice in the first place. In conclusion don’t feel guilty messing around, just don’t confuse it with practicing. Fool around without guilt. Have fun. Session 1
Have fun. David The "breakfast piano minutes" are usually created in about 10 minutes 1st thing in the morning.
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If you are feeling stale, try the following exercises.
If I can help you, let's chat. Best, David An intermediate player can play some tunes with a band or play along track. They usually have to read the music though from a fake book due to a lack of confidence. They are keen to move it up a notch. They feel overwhelmed with the amount of possibilities in a practice session.
Below are some ideas on how to spend your time. Yes, it is a lot, but over the course of a week and little bit of each can be worked on. Over time your experience will accumulate. Have fun.
6. Repertoire work, your new pieces 7. Theory work 8. Singing intervals 9. Jamming with tracks, apps, or original recordings. 10. Repeat step one. Acquiring fluency in the “language” of Classical Music Two presuppositions: First: We all play what we hear in our heads. Second: Beautiful music is “heard” in our heads and our hands obey. What we hear... What we “hear” in our mind is a combination of experience, education, and reflection. Experience includes all the listening opportunities we’ve had in life. (My advice is start early) When the our listening experiences are linked to a moment of high emotional arousal: a concert trip with a beloved family member, attending a concert with a date, the impression is going to last. Impassioned listening I call it. For links to studies click this sentence. Education is musical appreciation, music theory studies, ear training, analysis, and score study. Sophisticated music does not give up her charms easily. You must work for it. Piano students too often want to skip this stuff and get right to the good stuff. Believing that the score tells you all you need to know to create a beautiful performance is an unfortunate fallacy in piano education. It is just a bare minimum. Artistic insight and performance go way beyond the ink. Reflection needs to be deliberate. Another form of deliberate practice. It is listening with intent in the performance of a great artist and ourselves. Reading biographies, autobiographies, listening to podcasts, watching YouTube interviews, and concerts. Asking ourselves, “what is going on here?” “How did they do it?” What we can execute... What we can execute is all about deliberate practice, time, patience, and access to resources including teachers.
Now go practice, David I had a date for the Grade 10 exam, a few months out. Whoa! Piano thoughts dominated my waking hours for the next 90 days.
First thing I learned? Thinking about piano is a form of practice. In my mind I saw myself performing the music. My mind sought solutions to tricky parts I saw coming in the music. I was excited. Second thing I learned? A firm date quickly eliminated procrastination. Third thing? This was really exciting. As Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers said, "pressure is a privilege". This was real, this was difficult, but this was doable with focused effort and lots of practice. Fourth thing? I started to listen in earnest to both professional recordings of my program and myself. Record, play, listen became my method. I'd learned how to practice. I nailed it and won a scholarship for the highest mark in my district. David Students often believe that I must have started early in life with lots of natural talent. Let me clear this up.
I am proof practice works.
I made it into Berklee with 4 years of piano under my belt, but it included 2 years of professional gigging in rock and country bands in the North Bay region. A lot of gigs. Plus, my basement jazz band. That made the difference I figure. But who knows, recordings do not exist. I got through Berklee as a composition major. I thought about being a performance major, but that required serious practice. Something I was not interested in. But I continued playing gigs during those years. A lot of gigs. Some exciting gigs. I was a busy journeyman. I could sight-read just about anything. I showed up on time ready to play. I was pleasant to be around. Where did that put me in the Berklee pecking order? Turns out near the top. I made it one year to the number 2 band. So, when did I learn to practice? Age 42! Signed up for my Grade 10 exam. My very first piano exam ever. I couldn't fake it. I had to play it. I put a couple of thousand hours of focused practice in. I read every book I could find on how to practice. How many books? Chapters bookstore sent me Christmas present. That is how many.
David Learning Plans
A learning plan is a document (possibly an interactive or on-line document) that is used to plan learning, usually over an extended period of time. Any entity can have a learning plan. They are often used by individuals to plan and manage their own learning, but they can also be used by teams, communities of practice or organizations. Learning Plan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning Plan What might you learning plan look like? Clarity and specificity are important. Classical student Goal: Sit for my Grade 4 exam in June 2021 Plan:
Goal: Be able to jam in a community group in one year. Plan:
Meeting in person students you've only met online is always a thrill. Today I had coffee with a student from Northern BC who was passing through town. We recognized each other immediately, even in masks. We chatted about his hometown and the music making possibilities therein. For a town of 6 thousand there was a myriad of opportunities:
Four out of five of those present music making possibilities. For many students piano is a solitary activity enjoyed with a cup of tea or class of wine. Others? It's a party. More the merrier. I help students achieve both ambitions. Best, David How much effort will it take? Depends on:
What result are you looking for? Extraordinary results take extraordinary effort. Levels 1-3 plan on 30-45 minutes a day, more near exam time. Levels 4-6 45 minutes plus Levels 7-8 60 minutes Levels 9 -10 90 minutes plus It's like preparing for the Boston Marathon. This is on the piano bench. Add more time for theory and guided listening. How big is your or your child's desire? Realistically it should be high. A healthy mix of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is needed. What piano skills are you bringing to the project? Please let me assess your skills before you make decisions. Sometimes transfer students, new to my studio, ask me to help them prepare for exams way above their current skill level. I may recommend some preparation to preserve your enthusiasm and my sanity. Have you done this before? Then you know what is in store. If this is a new adventure, let's talk. Here is my personal experience. I completed levels 10 and then the ARCT from age 43 through 47. It was by far the most exciting thing I've ever done at the piano. Remember, I had 25 years of professional experience behind me in commercial and jazz performance. I didn't play classical music or take exams as a child; I went straight to the band stand as a teenager. Classical piano was new to me as a formal study, though I had a love of the music, went to concerts etc. It was also the most time-consuming activity of my adult life. About 5000 hours over a four-year stretch. The results earned me national, provincial, and local scholarships. That was a surprise. Completing Berklee College of Music as a young man was easier in comparison. I had no idea an ARCT took so much. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Do I recommend the experience? Yes, it truly is a peak experience. I felt like superman for years afterwards. Are your practice skills Up-to-date for 2020? We do not grind anymore. Ask me, I help you get organised for success. Recommended books: David What do with ennui: that feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of inspiration and excitement. Good question in the middle of summer and the ongoing pandemic. Some suggestions: 1. Take a break. I did, I went fishing for a week. Caught 2 fish. 2. Take an online course. I took a class on teaching adults with the Francis Clarke Institute in New Jersey. 3. Sight-read for a week or two, exploring some new music. Musicnotes.com is a good place to start. First page is free, you can read off a tablet. 4. Read a book on learning the piano. You might enjoy Alan Rusbridger's book "play it again". He has some YouTube videos that support the book. Cheers, David 1. Try to finish level 6 theory, it will really help us to communicate as musicians and build your understanding of the music you play. 2. Summer is a good time to explore music history. A good introduction for classical piano students is found on Audible.ca https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/the-23-greatest-solo-piano-works.html check www.audible.com I found it there for a really fair price. 3. YouTube score watching; paying attention to one element at a time: articulations , dynamics, tempo 4. General piano skills
David
Have Fun, see you in September. David I've made mine. There are below.
Time for yours. Here are some ideas to get you started. 1. Have fun, lower the intensity. Except if you are a professional or preparing for post secondary music education. Time to ramp it up! 2. Now back to recreational players. Normally I would recommend some concert attendance, but alas, this is not currently possible. Maybe attend some online live events. The Village Vanguard in NYC is presenting some of New York's finest. 3. If you can visit a music store with a large print section and ask the clerk for some recommendations on what is new and exciting for players at your level. 4. Revisit and reflect on your goals for the fall. Best, David Story My plans. As I'm a professional, I'm ramping up the intensity until Labour Day in September. 90-day summer music plan 2020 Piano Coaching
Before Covid 19 1/3 of my students were already online. Now it is everyone. How are folks dealing with it? Generally fine. One young man, 4 years old, had to take a breather. But another 4-year-old is thriving. Kids are still learning, maybe even better because of the extra practice time available. Several parents have taken up the piano again to assist their kids during lessons.
Parental involvement has been a revelation. What fun they are having! Duets are ringing out, lots of laughter and perspiration. Older adults have really taken to the whole project. Many of them are not going back schlepping through the snow to the studio, they are staying online. Safe and sound in warm and familiar surroundings. How is the teacher doing? I miss the travel and environmental novelty of travelling. When social distancing passes, I will enjoy the personal interaction I had before. But, I'm pleased as punch that we are all settling into the new normal. Call me now for the fall. Spots are filling up. Cheers, David Listening to an unfamiliar piece of music can be pleasurable, baffling or even annoying. Here are some steps to consider making it a deeper experience.
Depends on your goals.
If you would like to plunk out a few melodies, with minimal left-hand accompaniment, it is not too difficult. I would say a few months to a year you will be on your way. Factors that are important to consider though.
If you would like to play Classical piano at say grade 8, or early advanced level. Give it a decade from a standing start. In addition to the points above I would add the following: learn to love every aspect of the game. Do not skip a step: technique, repertoire, ear training, theory, history, etudes, etc. There are no hacks or shortcuts. If you would like to play Jazz piano in a band, assuming you have already reached level 8 in abilities, give it a couple of years. All the points above are valid with the addition of a few other steps.
If I can help, please call. David Story How many hobbies can one-person juggle?
Depends. I juggle one. I had two, but Covid19 put an end to that. I’ve students who try to juggle 3 or more while holding down jobs, spouses, children, and life. They often looked stressed. How do my less stressed students do it? Here are some tactics they follow:
Do you remember why you were attracted to piano in the first place? Put up a post it note on the piano to keep it front of mind. Cheers, David
If I can help you, please call and reserve a future spot. I am now taking reservations of summer 2020 and fall 2020. David "Have a plan, work the plan" Sage advice A plan is great if you can find your materials when it's time to practice. A plan is great if you can have some quiet alone time to focus and have fun.
Here are ten tips on one aspect of success: an organized workspace.
Have a productive session. David A wise teacher said, “we are who we listen to”. Another slightly more jaded teacher asserted that all students want to play want they hear in their heads. And unfortunately, they already do. Ouch
Building your repertoire of sound possibilities come from repeated listening to the same tracks over an extended period. How much time? Until you find yourself humming along. Try this:
Happy listening. David PS: as you can see the screen shot above shows a combination of younger and legacy players. Before the current crisis about 1/3 of my student body had their lessons online. Now it is everyone.
I've lost 3 students. Two lost their jobs, one didn't like online lessons. We all look forward to resuming once the virus moves on and they get back to work. Five new students have been added in the same timeframe. I now meet my music coaches online now as well. Today with my "classical coach', last week with my "jazz coach". Every week with my drum coach. I believe a number of students will remain online after the crisis lifts and the others will resume as they were. If I can help you, Call me. David An Ideal Practice Session With Fly Me To The Moon
To get you started, here are several recordings of Fly Me to the Moon. Imitate the melody, phrase by phrase. Have Fun, David Story April 2023
How does the teacher practice?
Good question. So, here goes. I do the following things on a regular basis:
How do I practice in my studio?
If I can help you, feel free to call me. Best regards, David |
You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail. AuthorI'm a professional pianist and music educator in West Toronto Ontario. I'm also a devoted percussionist and drum teacher. Categories
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